Improvement in trunk-fasteners



v BENJAMIN ANDREWS.

Improvement in Trunk-Fasteners. No, 127,010 Patented May.21,1872.

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' BENJAMIN ANDREWS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUNK-FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,010, dated May 21, 1872.

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMI ANDREWS, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new Improvements in Trunk-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following. to be a clear and ex' act description of the nature thereof, sufficient to enable others skilled'in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand, make, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the device detached from the trunk illustrating my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are inside views thereof. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the rotating button. Fig. 5 is a front view of a trunk having my invention applied thereto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to fastenin gs for trunks independent of the locks, and is designed as a substitute for the ordinary straps and buckles. It consists in the construction of a rotating button forreleasing the jaws which hold the catch. It also consists in the construct-ion of the jaws to limit the rotation of the button in releasing the jaws. It also consists in the construction and combination of various parts.

Referring to the drawing, A represents a trunk, which may be of ordinary form and construction. B represents the fastenin gs applied thereto. These fastenings are independent of the lock or locks of the trunk, and consist of the part 0, which is to be secured to the lid of the trunk, and the part D to be secured to the body thereof, or vice versa. (See Fig. 5.) The part 0 is constructed of a head, E,.formed with or having secured to it a catch, F, which is somewhat of the form of a double hook. The part D is constructed of a casing, G, within which is mounted, by means of an axis, a, two dogs, H, having noses b, which are hooked, and designed to engage with or embrace the catch F. The upper faces of the noses are beveled or sloped, so that, when the lower end of the catch strikes said faces, it forces the dogs apart, and by the further descent of catch permits the latter to engage with the hooks of the noses b. The dogs will be forced together by means of one or more springs, J, properly arranged, so that, when the catch is in the part D, the dogs are held against the catch, and thus the trunk is fastened. Owing to the great strain that will naturally occur on the pivot or axis a, the latter may be-weakened or caused to wear severely. Avertical rib, K, will be formed with or secured to the inner face of the casing G, so that the portions 0 of the dogs just above the axis will bear against the rib, and the latter take up the strain and relievethe axis. The face of the casing G will be formed with a circular opening, into which is fitted a rotating button, L, which is constructed of afinger piece, (1, a flanged piece, 0, which rotates on the contiguous portion of the casing G in the opening thereof, and a cross-bar, f, which is designed to come in contact with the inner faces of the dogs H for opening the latter. The button may be retained in place by means of a pivot, g, which passes into a sheet metal plate laid on the dogs or the front wall of the trunk, and headed so as to prevent withdrawal or displacement of the button. When the lid of the trunk is closed or forced down, the catch F is pressed against the nose of the dogs and engages with them. The cross-bar f of the button then occupies a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to raise the lid, the-button is turned, and this causes the crossbar to assume a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3. In this movement the dogs are,

opened and the catch F released therefrom, whereby the lid may be elevated. The button should then be turned to permit the dogs to assume their normal position ready for the subsequent operation of fastening. In order to cause the barf of the button to cease rotation when the dogs are fully opened-that is, when the said bar is horizontal-the portions of the inner faces of the dogs over which the bar rides terminate in shoulders h, respectively facing upward and downward, so that the ends of the bar will come to bearings against the shoulders, and thereby prevent the bar from further rotation in the direction necessary to open the dog. These shoulders also prevent the accidental rotation of the bar otherwise resulting from the pressure of the spring against the dogs, and serve to cause the button to be always operated for opening the dogs in the same direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. The lower end of the head E will bear against the top of the part D, and the sides of the catch fit snugly in the opening which it enters in the upper end of the casing Gr, so that the parts (J D will hold firmly together, and any lateral strain or shaking that might occur between the lid of the trunk and its body is prevented from reaching the hasp or mechanism of the lock, whereby the fastening thus serves to protect the lock.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a trunk-fastener, the rotating button L, constructed as described, and operating in combination with the dogs H and catch 13, sub stantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a trunk-fastener, the dogs 11, having shoulders h h arranged in reverse order in corn bination with the barf of the rotating button L, as set forth.

3. A trunk fastener, consisting of dogs H with reversely-arranged shoulders h h, and the rib K, in combination with the rotating button L, fitted in the casing G and provided with cross-bar f and the catch F, all constructed and operating as described.

The above signed by me this 22d day of March 7 1872.

BENJAMIN ANDREWS.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. WIEDERsHEm, ALFRED O. SAVIDGE. 

